K.I.S.S Spring

K.I.S.S Spring

Keep it Simple Sweetie (not stupid) Let’s all embrace the simple this spring. Let’s not keep setting ourselves up for failure, ok? The most common mistakes I see (especially in the spring) is everyone trying to do too much, too soon. It’s neither sustainable or smart. It’s a recipe to fail – and each time you fail it gets harder to start again, and to believe in yourself. Getting back in shape, changing your goals and lifestyle need not be an all or nothing approach. Nor do you have to micro-manage your life to make it happen.

Outlook is everything

A friend of mine, who has struggled a great deal over the past few years, both mentally and physically posted this quote to Facebook.

Grieving over who we were, only gets in the way of who we should become – 12 Monkeys

Do you find yourself lamenting on how you looked, felt in highschool or university? Before kids? Before you took on your new job that came with a lot more responsibility? How you were before chronic illness? Before you tore your ACL? STOP RIGHT NOW. It’s getting in the way of EVERYTHING. Maybe you don’t want to hear it, but that’s the funny thing about life – you are always changing and things will NEVER be the same (but that’s a good thing). Once you let go of the past you can get on with your future. What worked for you 5 years ago may not work for you now. Move on. Figure out what makes this new you tick, what flushes your cheeks with passion and start laying out the framework to actualize your new path. Realize it is the journey, not the destination that matters most. Allow yourself to be a little broken – the cracks are part of the new you… Your life experience stripes will take you far if you let them.

Sometimes it takes more than one swing at change to make it stick

Keep your stick on the ice folks. There are 86400 seconds (opportunities) in a day. Carve out a few of those opportunities for you, and only you. Make yourself accountable to someone if you can’t be accountable to yourself. Don’t continue to dish out seconds from your bank that do not serve a short term goal. Keep some seconds left in your bank for emergencies, fun and life. There are no rules, “There is no spoon” (The Matrix)

Spoon boy: Do not try and bend the spoon. That’s impossible. Instead… only try to realize the truth.

Spoon boy: Then you’ll see, that it is not the spoon that bends, it is only yourself.

Every reason has a season

I’m not one of those people who say “everything happens for a reason” (gag) no…shitty things happen to good people. I’m speaking in the context of trying to do everything at once. Newbies try and nail their stress, nutrition, exercise, weight loss, exercise goals all at once (we’ve all done it) and quit the moment one falls apart. Seasoned athletes try and cram all sorts of training modalities into their seasons, or try and train the same all year, racking up the hours and risk of overuse injuries. THIS IS A RECIPE FOR DISASTER. Mini-training cycles and milestones set out for a year make a lot of sense. Just as the seasons change here in Canada, so should your focus. It keeps your eyes on the prize, keeps life fresh and DOABLE/SUSTAINABLE.

Trim the Phat

Be frugal with your time/energy bank. Cut the fluff. If it does not serve you, then let’s not be a slave to it. Purge your closet, simplify your wardrobe, accessories. Streamline your meal/meal prep. Cut out extraneous errands. Set up your weekly calendar. Limiting decision making stress is the single most effective way to find time and energy to accomplish what you set out to achieve. Say Yes, or say No – Let ‘Maybe’ go the way of the do-do bird. Take a break from a hobby to try something else for a few months – don’t try and cram it all in. It does not serve your purpose. Enlist help and be kind to your overly-ambitious self. Re-visit your schedule if you routinely are not completing your tasks, trim some more (just for a little while) until you find balance. Practice that for a bit and slowly add items back in as you need. If the balance tips, go back and repeat the process.

I know you can do it. I believe in you – Please start believing in yourself.